Anyone Else Use Ham Radio? You might want to.

Jacob Watrous

Jacob Watrous

Legend
Forum Supporter
Just got into ham radio recently, and using APRS for super local weather reports is awesome. I can see, while out and about or before I even leave home, whether the wind (and other data) is favorable in a given location, and it tends to be more accurate than Windy, WindfinderPro, etc. https://ambientweather.net/ is still a favorite, but requires a smart phone, reception, and eyes-off-the-road.

I can’t be the only person who does this, can I? Do any of you use ham radio?
 
Last edited:
Jake said:
Just got into ham radio recently, and using APRS for super local weather reports is awesome. I can see, while out and about or before I even leave home, whether the wind (and other data) is favorable in a given location, and it tends to be more accurate than Windy, WindfinderPro, etc. https://ambientweather.net/ is still a favorite, but requires a smart phone, reception, and eyes-off-the-road.

I can’t be the only person who does this, can I? Do any of you use ham radio?
Click to expand...
I think it's struggling to survive against other forms of communication that present far fewer barriers to entry.
 
Been into it for many years; my call sign is N7TRE, but my station has been down for a while, needs work, and maybe by June, it will be up and running.
Mid 90's, I tried to get a flyfishing net on 40 meters and collected a few people, but not enough interest.
 
_*_* _ _*_
_*_* _ _*_
_*_* _ _*_
Had a novice license when I was 14...back then you had to pass the test and know Morse code, I remember it was easier to send than recieve. Never got a general though so never could do voice. I think I heard licensing is different now.
Haven't been active for almost 50 years.
Had 50's era Hallicrafters I got from an older neighbor, old tube job.
Buddy had a Yaesu FT 101e in the 70's, quite the setup back then...
Cool stuff, wish I would have stayed with it.
 
Wakingflies said:
Been into it for many years; my call sign is N7TRE, but my station has been down for a while, needs work, and maybe by June, it will be up and running.
Mid 90's, I tried to get a flyfishing net on 40 meters and collected a few people, but not enough interest.
Click to expand...
I suspect the overlapping Venn diagram for flyfishing / HAM radio commonality is even far less populated today than it was in the mid 90's.
 
Jake said:
It is in a general sense, but for niche things like this it is rather handy. I can also call and text regardless of whether I've got cell or satellite coverage.
Click to expand...
In the 10 years or so I've had a Garmin I've never not had satellite for texting, email, emergency help, and I occasionally use their hourly weather forecast for my specific location when I can't see much regarding incoming weather because I'm in mountainous terrain. The Iridium satellite system is quite remarkable. I very rarely fish or hike where there's cellphone coverage. NE WA and the Idaho Panhandle doesn't have many towers.
 
Good for you Jake, getting into ham radio. I too am a ham. Been licensed since 1983 or 84. It has been a fun hobby, along with other expensive hobbies. I too look at weather reports on the APRS network. HF is my jam.
 
What would really be useful for me is a way to communicate with logging trucks. There are few things that elicit excessive sphincter tightening as much as suddenly encountering a huge Kenworth radiator barreling downhill towards my little ToyotaTacoma on a single lane USFS road. A little bit of forewarning would allow me to get the fuck out of their way.

Had a few close calls. Buying a new truck would be fine...but you really gotta be alive to fully enjoy it.
 
I have but haven't used it in years. For life of me I can't remember my call. I still have it on my small portable unit. At my old house I had the big antenna out back. Never got back into it after I moved.
 
Jerry Daschofsky said:
I have but haven't used it in years. For life of me I can't remember my call. I still have it on my small portable unit. At my old house I had the big antenna out back. Never got back into it after I moved.
Click to expand...
Did the antenna technology change? There used to be huge HAM radio antennas all over Spokane, but very few are in existence these days.

Back in the early 70's when I was overseas in the Marine Corps MARS was the only way I could actually speak to my wife back in the states. Text, emailing, and video conferencing sure would have been nice in those days of waiting for snail-mail.
 
Last edited:
There are some evolutions in the hobby with FT8 seeming pretty popular right now so I think it will have a place for sure with people who are interested in radio and people who look to it as emergency comms. I think it does have a lot of competition with lower barriers of entry like GMRS. Where people just want to use it to talk and don't want to learn how it works (guilty, I got mine because my friends had licenses, but I went on to get a general because it was interesting). I've noticed since GRMS became more popular more of my friends are getting that license over ham for offroad and outdoor communications.
 
I was a radio operator while in the Army.
In those days we used short wave.
I saved many a life while setting in the radio shack miles away from the shit.
Short way kicks ass. I have talked to people all around the world using short wave.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top